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For 8-bit to PS1 any chip works, including the Allwinner H700 in cheap Anbernic models. PSP, N64 and Dreamcast want something faster than the H700. PS2 and GameCube start at the Unisoc T820 or Snapdragon 865 class, which sit in Android handhelds. Tiers on this site are editorial and built from the Batocera wiki and Notebookcheck.
Chip tiers at a glance
| Chip | Tier | CPU / GPU | Runs well (per sources) | Struggles (per sources) | Handhelds in our list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allwinner H700Allwinner | entry | 4x Cortex-A53 @ 1.5 GHzMali-G31 MP2 | PS1, 8/16-bit systems | PSP, N64, Saturn, Dreamcast, 3DO | Anbernic RG35XX Plus, Anbernic RG35XX H, Anbernic RG35XX SP, Anbernic RG35XX Pro, Anbernic RG40XX H, Anbernic RG40XX V and 4 more |
| Allwinner A133P (A133 Plus)Allwinner | entry | 4x Cortex-A53 (peak 1.8-2.0 GHz, sources differ)PowerVR GE8300 | - | - | TrimUI Brick Hammer, TrimUI Brick Pro, TrimUI Smart Pro, MagicX Zero 40, MagicX Mini Zero 28 |
| Allwinner A523Allwinner | low | 8x Cortex-A55 (two clusters, up to ~1.8-2.0 GHz, sources differ)Mali-G57 MC1 | - | - | TrimUI Smart Pro S |
| Allwinner T527Allwinner | - | 8x Cortex-A55 (same die as A523)Mali-G57 MC1 | - | - | - |
| Rockchip RK3326Rockchip | entry | 4x Cortex-A35 (1.3-1.5 GHz)Mali-G31 MP2 | 5th gen and below | N64 (some games), PSP (very limited), Dreamcast (playable, under 40 FPS) | - |
| Rockchip RK3566 (RK3568 sibling)Rockchip | low | 4x Cortex-A55 (~1.8 GHz)Mali-G52 MP2 | Dreamcast and PSP (secondary-source claims) | N64 demanding titles (GoldenEye, Conker) | Miyoo Flip, Powkiddy RGB30, Powkiddy X55 |
| Rockchip RK3399Rockchip | - | 2x Cortex-A72 + 4x Cortex-A53Mali-T860 MP4 | - | - | - |
| Unisoc Tiger T618Unisoc | low | 2x Cortex-A75 @ 2.0 GHz + 6x Cortex-A55 (1.8-2.0 GHz)Mali-G52 MP2 | Dreamcast, N64 (some games) | - | Anbernic RG Rotate |
| Unisoc T820 (Tanggula)Unisoc | mid | 1x Cortex-A76 @ 2.7 GHz + 3x Cortex-A76 @ 2.3 GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.1 GHzMali-G57 MC4 | GameCube (most games, upscaled), PS2 (most games, upscaled) | - | Anbernic RG406H, Anbernic RG406V, Anbernic RG Slide |
| MediaTek Dimensity 1100MediaTek | mid | 4x Cortex-A78 @ 2.6 GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHzMali-G77 MC9 | - | - | - |
| MediaTek Dimensity 1200MediaTek | mid | 1x Cortex-A78 @ 3.0 GHz + 3x Cortex-A78 @ 2.6 GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 2.0 GHzMali-G77 MC9 | - | - | - |
| MediaTek Dimensity 8300MediaTek | high | 1x Cortex-A715 @ 3.35 GHz + 3x Cortex-A715 @ 3.2 GHz + 4x Cortex-A510 @ 2.2 GHzMali-G615 MC6 | - | Early software/driver compatibility on RG557 (Mali drivers less optimised than Adreno) | Anbernic RG557, Anbernic RG477M |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 845Qualcomm | mid | 4x Cortex-A75 @ 2.8 GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHzAdreno 630 | PS2 (per Retro Game Corps Android guide, best-case recommendation) | - | - |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 865Qualcomm | mid | 1x Cortex-A77 @ 2.84 GHz + 3x Cortex-A77 @ 2.42 GHz + 4x Cortex-A55 @ 1.8 GHzAdreno 650 | up to 6th gen (PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast) | - | Retroid Pocket 5, Retroid Pocket Mini V2, AYANEO Pocket Micro 2 |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2Qualcomm | high | 1x Cortex-X3 @ 3.19 GHz + 2x A715 + 2x A710 @ 2.8 GHz + 3x Cortex-A510 @ 2.0 GHzAdreno 740 | 6th gen, some lower-end 7th gen consoles | - | Retroid Pocket 6, AYN Odin 2 Mini, AYN Odin 2 Portal, AYN Thor |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2Qualcomm | high | 1x Cortex-X3 @ 3.36 GHz + 2x A715 + 2x A710 @ 2.8 GHz + 3x Cortex-A510 @ 2.02 GHzAdreno A32 | - | - | - |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon G1 Gen 2Qualcomm | - | -Adreno A12 (per secondary sources) | - | - | Retroid Pocket Classic |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon G2 Gen 2Qualcomm | - | - | - | - | Retroid Pocket G2 |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3Qualcomm | high | 1x Cortex-X4 @ 3.3 GHz + 3x A720 @ 3.15 GHz + 2x A720 @ 2.96 GHz + 2x Cortex-A520 @ 2.27 GHzAdreno 750 | - | - | - |
| Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 EliteQualcomm | flagship | 2x Oryon Prime @ 4.32 GHz + 6x Oryon Performance @ 3.53 GHzAdreno 830 | - | - | - |
| Qualcomm Dragonwing Q8Qualcomm | flagship | Oryon, up to 4.32 GHz (AYN says same CPU/GPU configuration as 8 Elite)Adreno 830 | - | - | AYN Odin 3, AYN Odin 3 Portal |
| Rockchip RK3588Rockchip | - | 4x Cortex-A76 + 4x Cortex-A55Mali-G610 MP4 | - | - | - |
| SigmaStar SSD202DSigmaStar | entry | 2x Cortex-A7 @ ~1.2 GHz | - | - | Miyoo Mini Flip |
A null tier means the chip is not placed in a tier yet. A chip's "runs well" and "struggles" lists come from the Batocera wiki or Retro Game Corps and are quoted as reported.
Which chip for which console?
| You want | Chip class that is reported to work | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| GB, GBA, NES, SNES, Genesis | Any, including H700 and RK3326 | Batocera wiki: RK3326 handles 5th generation and below; Retro Game Corps: H700 is strong on 8/16-bit and PS1 |
| PS1 | H700 and up | Same as above |
| Dreamcast, N64, PSP | RK3566, Unisoc T618, T820 and up | Dreamcast and PSP on RK3566 are secondary-source claims; T618 is reported comparable to H700 class for Dreamcast and some N64; the H700 struggles with PSP, N64 and Dreamcast |
| GameCube, PS2 | Unisoc T820, Snapdragon 865 and up | Retro Game Corps on the T820: most games at upscaled resolution; Batocera on the 865: up to sixth generation |
| Some Wii and lower-end seventh generation | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or faster | Batocera wiki |
The Snapdragon 845 in the older AYN Odin is also named by Retro Game Corps' Android guide as a best-case PS2 chip, but that is a single recommendation.
What does each chip mean in practice?
Allwinner H700 (entry). Four Cortex-A53 cores and a Mali-G31 GPU. It powers the Anbernic RG35XX, RG34XX, RG40XX and CubeXX families. Retro Game Corps lists PSP, N64, Saturn, Dreamcast, 3DO, Jaguar, Atomiswave and Naomi as not full speed in every game. The cheapest models cost around $50 (third-party aggregator (heldgames.com street price), Nov 5, 2026).
Allwinner A133P and A523. The A133P is in the TrimUI Smart Pro and Brick line (entry); the A523 in the Smart Pro S (low). No runs-well list was found for either, so treat them as H700-class until a source says otherwise.
Rockchip RK3566 (low). Four Cortex-A55 and a Mali-G52. Batocera and AmberELEC support it. Demanding N64 games such as GoldenEye and Conker are reported as trouble.
Unisoc T820 (mid). Eight cores and a Mali-G57 MC4 at 6 nm. Retro Game Corps says up to GameCube and PS2, with most games at upscaled resolutions. It sits in the Anbernic RG406H and RG406V, and the RG Slide.
Snapdragon 865 (mid). The Retroid Pocket 5 and Mini V2 use it. Batocera says it can emulate up to the sixth generation.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (high). The Retroid Pocket 6 ($249 (heldgames.com listing text (header shows $244 / $279 street), Nov 5, 2026)), the AYN Odin 2 line and the Thor use it. Batocera notes some lower-end seventh generation console support.
Dimensity 8300 (high). In the Anbernic RG557. Notebookcheck reports about 76% faster than the T820 in CPU-heavy tasks. Early driver support on its Mali GPU is described as less polished than Adreno.
Dragonwing Q8 (flagship). In the AYN Odin 3. AYN first marketed it as a Snapdragon 8 Elite and corrected this in April 2026 (Android Authority). No retail handheld with a real 8 Elite was verified.
Can I trust the tier for my console?
Not alone. A chip is not a verdict on a game: drivers, emulator versions, the screen resolution and cooling change the result. Emulation ratings on this site are provisional, and many Android handhelds have none. The emulation chart keeps unknown separate from "no". A chip tier is a hint that points you to the right shelf, not a guarantee for each title.
What about RAM, screen and price?
Chips set the ceiling, RAM and storage set comfort. H700 handhelds carry 1 GB of RAM, and the RG34XX SP was reported cut from 2 GB to 1 GB in January 2026, with some units at 512 MB (Held Games). Prices of Android models rose through 2026 on reported memory costs. See the handheld table for each model, and best for PS2 and best for GameCube for the short lists.
What to buy for what
H700 or similar for GB to PS1 and a budget under about $100. A Snapdragon 865 or Unisoc T820 handheld for PS2 and GameCube. Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or faster if you want headroom for the demanding games and some seventh generation. Check the chart for your exact console before paying.
Questions people ask
Which Anbernic can play PS2?
The Android models with a Unisoc T820 (RG406H, RG406V, RG Slide) or the Dimensity 8300 (RG557) are the ones in our data; ratings for most are not yet published, so see the chart.
Can an H700 handheld play GameCube?
Not by this data: the H700 is an entry-tier chip and Retro Game Corps lists it as struggling with Dreamcast and N64, which are lighter than GameCube.
Is the Snapdragon 865 enough for PS2?
Batocera lists it up to the sixth generation, which includes PS2, GameCube and Dreamcast. Individual games vary.
Will the Miyoo Mini play PSP or Dreamcast?
Its chip, the SigmaStar SSD202D, is entry tier with 128 MB of memory in the Mini Plus. PSP and Dreamcast are not listed as playable there.
Sources
Specs and prices were checked on the dates shown. Prices change often: check the shop before you buy.
- Batocera wiki: choose a handheld - 2026-11-05
- Retro Game Corps: RG35XX family starter guide - 2026-11-05
- Retro Game Corps: Anbernic RG556 setup guide - 2026-11-05
- Notebookcheck: Unisoc T820 specs - 2026-11-05
- Held Games: Anbernic RAM downgrade 2026 - 2026-11-05